What Drinking Leads To
by Bull
Summary: Lorelai gets drunk after season 2 finale, severe consequences. L/L. Please, REVIEW


Title: What Drinking Leads To  
  
Author: Bull  
  
Pairing: Java Junkies  
  
Disclaimer: I own everything! I rule the world! Oh wait…that was last night.  
  
Summary: Lorelai gets drunk after season 2 finale, severe consequences.  
  
AN: This story was written for the Java Junkies contest. I don't think I'm going to continue it, but if I get enough reviews I might try. I have another story; it sucks, don't read it. Feel free to give me ideas for another story or this one, because I am stumped. And remember…R-E-V-I-E-W  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The wedding has ended. Lorelai and Rory immediately start gushing over how great the ceremony was with Sookie and Jackson. Sookie senses the troubled expressions on both of their faces, but neither Gilmore will admit what is wrong. Finally, the four follow everyone else inside the inn for the reception.  
  
Almost all of Stars Hollow is waiting inside. Michel turns on the music; Sookie and Jackson begin the traditional first dance. Jackson is less perceptive of the Gilmores than Sookie is, and he marvels at the lack of Brigadoon references from Lorelai. Now that she doesn't have to appear thrilled for the couple, Lorelai's smile wilters. She goes into a trance-like state and stares blankly at Rory and Dean arguing across the room. Dean stalks away from Rory, angry about something. Lorelai finally snaps out of it and turns to leave.  
  
"What are you doing? You can't leave yet, the reception just started! Where's Chris?"  
  
"Mom," Lorelai states warily, her head throbbing.  
  
"You are being extremely rude. It's one thing if you act this way to me and your father, but Sookie is your friend, for goodness sakes. You won't even stay for her?"  
  
Lorelai ignores her mother and heads to the refreshment table. Her mother follows her and continues, "I'm talking to you, where are you going? Why aren't you dancing with Chris?"  
  
Lorelai whirls around. "Chris left, Mom. He got his roommate pregnant, and he left for her even though he was just about to break up with her. According to him, he needs to be there for the baby this time. Now I'm turning around and getting a drink, and when I turn back again you will not be here or someone will get hurt and it won't be me!"  
  
Emily is stunned. She ignores her Lorelai's ripostes, and wonders how Chris could have hurt her daughter this badly.  
  
Hours later, the reception is nearly over. Lorelai has had many a drink, and can barely stand up straight. She stumbles to the door and is almost run over on the way out. "Scuzz-me," she slurs. She looks up through her daze to see who bumped into her.  
  
"Chris," she states flatly, too drunk to care. He starts to explain.  
  
"Lorelai, I was halfway to Boston when I realized I just left the place I really should be. I called Sherry and she agrees. So Lorelai, I'm back. For good."  
  
Lorelai can barely hear him as his voice seems to fade into the distance. Her head is spinning, eyesight fading, and suddenly the world turns black.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
*Lorelai stops suddenly on the sidewalk. Chris and Rory turn around to see what is wrong. "Hey, Mom, it's FAO Schwartz!"  
  
"Now you see the reason I stopped. How could you not notice it? We need to know where all the major toy stores are right from the get go."  
  
Chris asks, "Would you like to go in? I hear the inside of the building is even better than the outside."  
  
Lorelai smiles, "Hard to imagine. We can't go in until we get a picture with the giant bear though, right Rory?" They pull out a disposable camera and get the nearest tourist to snap their picture. Chris shakes his head as they walk inside. "All of historic Boston, and this is the only thing you two get excited about."  
  
Lorelai grins, "Not true, we were very excited about the duck tour."  
  
"Yes, but that was only for the bright yellow whistles which you used to scare people on the streets with all morning. How many people was that?"  
  
"Lorelai instantly replies, "Fourteen."  
  
"Ooh, thanks for reminding us, Dad!" But the duck whistles are once again forgotten as they explore the toy store.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Just weeks later, the newness of Boston has worn off for Rory and Lorelai. The Gilmores spend their nights flipping absentmindedly through channels. One night, Lorelai suddenly sits up. "This isn't what I expected Boston to be like. Chris is never home, and there's no good coffee here. I miss Luke's."  
  
Rory groans, "You don't miss the diner, you miss Luke. I miss Lane."  
  
Lorelai chimes in and they name everyone in Star's Hollow. The last four people they miss being Kirk, Taylor, Miss Patty, and Michel. They look at each other and agree, "This is pathetic. We need to go home. Where's Chris?"*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Lorelai stirs in her sleep. She doesn't know it, but Chris has called for an ambulance. He sits across from her parents on the way to the hospital, Emily glaring at him the entire ride. When they get to the hospital, Emily calls Rory's cell phone. Rory, who is sitting at Luke's with Lane, panics close to the way her mother did when Richard was in the hospital. Luke offers to drive Rory there, even though he has no idea what he can say to Lorelai.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
*Lorelai looks up. High above her, the very tip of the Eiffel Tower seems to melt into the clouds. She glances at Rory, who has a wide smile on her face. Behind Rory, with his arms wrapped around her waist, is Jess. After the whole summer spent traveling through Europe, Lorelai could finally accept Jess being there. This was their last stop before they caught their jet back to the states. Lorelai comes out of her reverie as she feels an arm creeping around her own waist. She leans back into his strong arms.   
  
"Luke," she whispers softly.  
  
"What?" he asks her, his tone much softer than usual.  
  
"Thanks, for everything. For being here." He had paid for a good portion of their trip. He'd made it a reality for her and Rory.  
  
"Anytime. I'll always be here for you."  
  
Lorelai relaxed as Luke's grip on her tightened. She believed him.*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Rory heads into Lorelai's room just as she is coming to. Luke lingers in the hallway, unsure about how to act around her. He thinks it best to wait out here for the moment.  
  
"Oh my god, Mom, what happened?"  
  
"Just my own stupidity. I had a lot of champagne."  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, my idol, the drunk."  
  
"That's not funny! My head is killing me!"  
  
"I know, I'm sorry."  
  
"Evil child." The two hug.  
  
Suddenly Rory remembers, "Oh hey, Luke's here."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Yeah, he drove me over." Lorelai gets a hint of a smile, thinking of how Luke drove her to Harford when her father was in the hospital the year before. "Why isn't he coming in?" Lorelai asks.  
  
"Depends, how bad was your fight?"  
  
Rory expects Lorelai to complain about answering a question with a question, but she doesn't say anything. She looks like she is close to tears. "W-would you…" Lorelai can't even finish her thought, but she doesn't need to. Rory kisses her mother's forehead, then gets up and heads to the door. "Of course." she smiles, and leaves the room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Moments later, Luke walks in. His expression is hard to read, but he seems nervous. Lorelai tries to hide it, but her face lights up when she sees him. Luke notices, as he is watching her carefully, and some of his tension eases. "Are you alright?" he asks awkwardly. Lorelai nods. "What happened?"  
  
"Well I guess you could call it a hangover. I think I passed out."  
  
"But all you drink is coffee! What happened to make you start drinking?" Luke has a tough time getting the words out, knowing how badly she must have been hurt to do this to herself. He vaguely wondered if he could have been there to prevent it.  
  
Lorelai got a distant look on her face. "Chris left me for Sherry. He got her pregnant too. I shouldn't even have gotten upset, I mean, he does it all the time. But he promised to stay, and Sookie and Jackson were so happy, and Rory was leaving for the summer, and normally I could deal with that, but you're still mad at me too, so I have no one to talk to except my parents and Michel this summer. I hate myself for what I did to you that night, and I'd do anything to make it up to you, but obviously I don't know how to express myself, because you thought my note was a joke and mocked my stationary." Lorelai fell into the normal rambling she does when things get to be too much for her. Luke hesitates. He wants with all his heart and soul to forgive her now, but somehow he knows he can't quite yet. She'll want to go back to the way things were, but Luke wants more from their relationship. Luckily, Lorelai rambles on.  
  
"Anyway, something good did come of my drunken phase. I was either dreaming or hallucinating, whichever you want to call it. They brought me to some realizations."  
  
"Go on," Luke says, fearing the worst. Again, he wants to forgive her before she says she doesn't want him as a friend anymore.  
  
"First, duck whistles are fun. They really annoy people after a whole day of quacking." Luke groans.  
  
"Rory and me? Definitely crazier than we think we are." She pauses. Luke is closer now, and he gazes into her eyes.  
  
"Chris is a complete jerk. He will never change, and I can't say I want him to anymore. He is my past, I can move on now." Luke's heart nearly breaks as he realizes she is getting back together with Max. Wasn't it the idea of Chris that kept her from going through with that marriage? Still, he has to ask, "Any prospects?"  
  
Lorelai bites her bottom lip. If Sookie and her mother are right, he will accept no questions asked. She decides that she has to try and recklessly plunges on as she stares back at Luke. "Yes. He's sitting right in front of me."  
  
The silence in the room seems to last an eternity. Luke's head is spinning. When he finally processes what Lorelai meant, he leans down hungrily to kiss her. They leave their lips connected a long while. Finally, Luke pulls back. "I should probably let you rest." He flashes her the biggest smile she has ever seen him give. He stands and turns to leave.  
  
"No, stay." Lorelai pleads. Luke sits back down on the tiny bed, and they both know from that moment on that he will do anything for her. He runs his fingers through her hair, and Lorelai closes her eyes from the rush of emotions that greeted her that day. Eventually she can speak again.   
  
"I have one more thing to say, and then hopefully you will completely forgive me. In my dreams, I realized that Jess was never that bad. He made a bad impression on me, and I never gave him credit for all the good he did for Rory. But the truth is, they need each other. Rory skipped school and went to New York to see him, you know."  
  
"What?!" Luke exclaims. "When?"  
  
"During my graduation. She missed it for Jess. I was wondering if you could make arrangements to bring Jess back, so we don't have to worry about Rory cutting school again."  
  
Luke is shocked. He is afraid of her reaction, but knows he has to be honest with her if there is any way to make the new phase of their relationship work.  
  
"I have to tell you something too." Lorelai looks at him quizzically.  
  
"You're too late. Jess is already back." 


End file.
